1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to handheld medical instrumentation and, more particularly, to apparatus for facilitating actuation of handheld medical instrumentation.
2. Description of Related Art
Typical methods of actuating medical handtools and/or laser handpieces may prevent or at least impede effective operation or optimal utilization of the instrumentation. For example, actuation of medical devices (e.g., cutters) in some situations such as in the context of dental laser procedures, e.g., operating within an oral cavity which can be particularly complex, may pose difficulties in relation to, for instance, a user needing to change her grip on a device and/or re-position the device without losing an ability to actuate the device.
One known method of actuating a medical device includes disposing a finger switch on a side of the medical device (e.g., laser handpiece). Use of the finger switch, however, may prevent a user from readily changing a grip on the device and/or rotating of such a device while in use, thereby reducing the utility or usability of the device (e.g., laser).
Switches configured for remote-actuation such as in the assemblage of a foot switch may in some environments address this problem, but at the expense of having to add yet further hardware (e.g. a foot pedal) to an array of components (e.g., switches) already in place for related or other applications. As great effort is expended to conserve real estate (e.g., floor and/or counter space) in most surgical/clinical operating rooms, such solutions may be met with reduced acceptance by users in the industry.
A need thus exists in the prior art for a method of actuation of handheld medical instrumentation that allows, for example, for optimal and/or efficient repositioning of the instrumentation while in use without requiring the sacrifice of valuable operating-room space such as required by a foot switch. A further need exists for a method of actuation that permits optimal and/or efficient operation of the instrumentation in complex clinical environments.